Rosa rugosa Thunb.

Deciduous, erect or suberect, densely suckering and thicket-forming shrub to 2 m high; stems stout and rigid, densely tomentose; armature of large, straight, narrow and slightly flattened prickles or pricklets. Lvs with (2)–3–4 pairs of leaflets; petioles 20–50 mm long, densely tomentose; stipules adnate for most of length, very broad and ± leafy, tomentose, denticulate. Lamina of leaflets 20–50 × 8–30 mm, elliptic or broadly elliptic, rugose, shining, rather dark green and with scattered eglandular hairs above, ± tomentose and with numerous very short glandular hairs beneath; margins serrate or crenate, slightly recurved; base ± rounded; apex obtuse or subacute. Fls 1–4, single (often semi-double or double in cultivation), c. 40–80 mm diam. Pedicels moderately hairy to tomentose, with ± scattered, rigid, straight, glandular hairs. Sepals persistent, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, long-acuminate or spathulate towards apex, tomentose inside, tomentose and with scattered stiff glandular hairs outside; outer sepals entire or with a few small teeth near apex. Petals 35–50 mm long, broadly obovate, deep rosy crimson. Styles free, shortly exserted and forming a large head, hairy. Fr. 20–25 mm across, ± depressed-globose, glabrous, shining deep red.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Nov.–Feb.; Fruiting: Mar.–May.